Chapter 6: Unannounced War

If the three forces standing in front of the parade ground were the foundation upon which Komer built his dominance overthe whole of NicosiaNicosia, then the half-elf archers and mortal light-armed infantry quietly positioned on the flanks of the parade ground served as Nicosia’s solid backbone in standing firm on the continent.

They lacked the arrogance of orcs and barbarians, nor the haughtiness of knights. All they had was resilience hidden within calmness and steadiness. They were the best defensive forces—whether facing frenzied orc warriors or fierce human cavalry, they showed no sign of fear. For them, defending their homeland with their lives and blood was the best way to prove themselves.

With such an army behind them, there was no need to worry about rebellion from behind; they would provide absolute security.

Komer subconsciously licked his lips, immediately realizing it was a sign of his nervousness. It was understandable to feel nervous and excited in such a moment, but Komer would not allow himself to show emotions in formal occasions. Those in power always needed calmness and reason.

“Knights, warriors, dear friends, I believe you all already understand why we are here. It’s simple—the invaders have torn off their hypocritical masks. They have openly abandoned all laws that govern human morality and reason, and have blatantly invaded our territory in Nicosia. I hereby declare my stance: I will not tolerate this behavior.”

“If they were those orcs from the northern wastelands, perhaps I could endure them. After all, those creatures have never known the light of civilization. But these people, like us, have long lived on this land in the heart of the Azure Continent. The glow of human civilization has reached far and wide, yet they openly overturn the principles we have always followed, revealing their greedy true nature without restraint. They think we, the people of Nicosia, will just suffer in silence and endure. But I tell them now—they are wrong! They will pay for everything they have done!”

“We in Nicosia are also members of the Northern Alliance, yet those guys have long excluded us from it. Given that, there’s no point for us in adhering to all the agreements and treaties previously reached. I officially declare that Nicosia will no longer be a member of the Northern Alliance, and we are now in a state of war with them! We will defend the dignity of our territory and the unyielding resolve of the people of Nicosia with our blood!”
“Ladies and gentlemen, the invaders will surely fail, and they must pay for their arrogance and greed! I warn all the people of Nicosia and the entire Northern Alliance that as long as our legitimate demands are not met, Nicosia will never reach any peace agreement with them! I swear it!”
“My knights, warriors, and magicians will use their strength to prove Nicosia’s invincibility, and our wisdom to demonstrate our determination and courage. I will pray for all of us—we will surely achieve ultimate victory!”
Roaring cheers swept through the chests of the warriors and knights below the parade ground like waves. The long-suppressed fervor and tension were finally released. A mix of fighting spirit and murderous intent filled the air. At this moment, whether it was the frenzied warriors or the passionate knights, they all had one goal: conquest and glory!
At this moment, Komer was equally excited, unable to contain the surge of emotion that overtook him. Like thunder at the beginning of spring, Komer realized he had never desired war so much, never wanted to be at the forefront, to experience the baptism of blood and fire firsthand. He longed to regain the passion and dreams he had lost through war.
Roars, shouts, and cries echoed across the battlefield in front of the parade ground. Spears were waved in the air, and shields reflected the sunlight. Komer stood proudly on the parade ground with his hands behind his back—only he could fully enjoy the pride that came with this glory.
Like a flood breaking its banks, the Caucasian army penetrated deep into the Katyn-controlled area from two directions, completely ignoring the presence of the Atticans, and advanced rapidly westward along their planned route.
Bao Ling hadn’t felt such a surge of impulse and passion for battle in a long time.

Since the fall of Mycenae, he and his brother Fran had seemingly forgotten where happiness came from, but this time he felt he could rediscover its source. It was those damned Northern Alliance scum who treacherously betrayed the Melenians, leading to the collapse of the Melenian Duchy. Without the Northern Alliance’s covert support, those orcs would never have been able to break through the Melenian defenses so easily—just because those guys wanted to strike at Nicomedia.

The main force he led along the southern route was rushing through the lowlands southwest of Godburg to enter the eastern part of Katin’s controlled territory. With 5,000 light-armed infantry, 15,000 orc heavy infantry, 12,000 barbarian berserkers, and 1,000 half-elf archers, Baling was confident that even without the support of knights and mages, he could wreak havoc in the ranks of the Atticans.

Yet he was also well aware that Lord Komer had mobilized all his forces not merely to defeat the enemy, nor even just to crush them, but to annihilate them completely—eradicating every last Attican and Knossian on the land of Katin.

The latest news was that Dragumo’s 3,000 auxiliary troops had successfully lured the Knossians to the remote southern part of Katin. His own task, along with Fran’s army advancing rapidly from the north, was to utterly destroy the Atticans in the shortest time possible, encircle the entire Northern Alliance invasion force, cut off their retreat, and gradually devour those invaders who hadn’t fully realized the situation yet.

The Homer Knights followed silently behind the advancing orc and barbarian armies. With 1,500 members, their knightly force was among the few elite military forces in the entire Blue Continent. Leclerc didn’t underestimate them just because their commander was a young man originally from the Melenian Duchy. Countless times, facts had proven that Komer always knew how to select the right people for the right positions.

From Lenta taking charge of Poznan and Silesia, to him rebuilding the Homer Knights, from a ruined merchant’s son becoming Nicomedia’s representative in the Southern Seas, to Pube serving as Nicomedia’s finance minister—everything proved Komer’s wisdom in recognizing talent.

Baoling could also recognize Leclerc’s exceptional status within the Order of Homer and the entire knightly force. He respected him but wasn’t worried about him. Comer had entrusted him with the role of commander, so naturally he had to fulfill that duty. He didn’t need to please anyone; he only needed to use his combat experience and wisdom to conquer everyone.
“Mr. Leclerc, I think we can enter Rur City tonight. By tomorrow, at the latest the day after, we’ll meet the Athenians,” Baoling said, standing straight. He wasn’t good at riding, but as a commander, it would be too pretentious to walk.
“Hmm, Mr. Baoling. Perhaps we’ll meet the Athenians before the troops from the northern front. Do you have any good ideas?” Leclerc was reserved but not deliberately arrogant.
“Hehe, that’s exactly what I wanted to ask Mr. Leclerc. You have extensive combat experience, and the Order of Homer will be the main force in this war. I’d like to hear your opinion.”
“It’s not much. But the Northern Alliance has always placed great emphasis on the power of their knights. To be precise, although their individual knights may not be superior to ours, their numbers and overall strength far exceed those of Nicossia. I’m sure Mr. Baoling must have learned this from the reports sent back by Mr. Mahagumi. This means they have a very strong striking force in the plains. Even if we have our half-orc regiments and mountain troops as a defensive force, their mobility is still astonishing. This is something we need to pay special attention to.”
Leclerc wasn’t deliberately modest. Given that this involved the entire war situation, both for public and personal reasons, he should do his best to provide the commander with whatever he knew.
“Hmm, mobility. Does Mr. Leclerc mean they’re good at flanking attacks?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. They’re skilled at using part of their forces to draw our main army forward while launching surprise attacks from the flanks. So even if we know they’re planning an attack, due to their high mobility, they can launch attacks from many directions, making it difficult to defend against—or rather, forcing us to expend a great deal of effort to defend.”
Leclerc nodded. The other man was quite perceptive. But was he just a warrior skilled in infantry combat? Could he shoulder such a heavy responsibility? Leclerc didn’t hide his concerns.